Two Sides
by Chaos Critique
Summary: After a recovering from a debilitating illness, Vegeta suddenly vanishes; his disappearance coinciding with multiple global massacres occurring daily. What has happened? Could Vegeta be involved? And what will he do to those he cares for... in order to protect them. Rated T for violence and mild language.
1. Chapter 1

**Two Sides  
Chapter 1: Sickness**

**This story occurs ten months after the attack of Hirudigen on East city. The Z fighters enjoy a breath of peace that this time has given them, but things are about to change…**

Trunks let out another battle cry as he blazed his way through the air of the gravity room towards his father. Before his shoulder made impact, he phased quickly into a position behind Vegeta to surprise him, but to no avail. The elder Sayain batted the child's strike aside without even looking back and delivered a sharp backhanded blow that sent the boy spinning to the floor. The little demi-Sayain attempted to push himself back onto his feet, but even in his current Super Sayain form, the gravity was too intense. Vegeta's golden aura flared slightly in annoyance.

"Get up Trunks! We've been through this maneuver plenty of times already and I am not in the habit of repeating myself. Do it again and put some effort into it!" Vegeta scolded.

"But Dad…" Trunks groaned as he struggled to raise his head. "…we've been in here all morning! And I'm exhausted from the gravity. Can we please just take a break and get lunch? I promise I'll get it right after, I really will!"

"Nonsense!" barked Vegeta. "If you're going to be a Sayain, you're going to train like a Sayain and that means you act like a Sayain too! Now get up and do the maneuver!"  
They young Super Sayain struggled into a weak standing position, but as soon as he tried to take off and fly even a little, he was dropped straight back to his knees. Vegeta saw how hard his son was trying and reconsidered what he'd said. They had been here for several hours at this point and a growing hollow feeling in Vegeta's stomach told him he would have to eat soon otherwise he would begin to perform poorly. Considering the difficulty of the maneuver and that this was the first time Trunks had trained with him at 600G intensity, perhaps he could cut the boy some slack. However, he couldn't let Trunks go soft and he hadn't performed properly yet. There had to be a way to make Trunks work for his reward. That's when the idea hit Vegeta.

Trunks saw the sly smile that was creeping along his father's face. When Vegeta smiled, it was rarely ever good news.

"Alright son, I'll make you a deal."  
_Oh no…_ Thought Trunks. Vegeta's deals were never good. The last one Trunks had make with him had resulted in one hour in the park in return for a really hard punch to the face that several Band-Aids had done nothing to cover the bruise.

"If you can catch me by surprise in three attempts or less, we'll break for lunch now with no training for the rest of the day and I'll let you invite Goten and Kakarot's whole family over for dinner."  
Trunks jaw almost hit the floor. Not only no training, but Goten and his whole family for dinner! Vegeta hated guests, so to think he'd allow something like that was almost unimaginable. But of course there was the punishment still to come…

"But if you fail those three attempts, we'll train straight through dinner with no breaks until 10pm."  
10pm?! That was eight hours away! That would be torture! No way would Trunks accept that. But then again, when would his dad ever give him the perfect opportunity to have guests over again. And not to mention the face Vegeta made when he had to be civil to Goku was priceless. He had to try at least.

"Okay Dad!" huffed Trunks. "It's a deal! But no backing out and I get to pick what's for dinner! I feel like barbeque tonight!"  
Trunks knew how much Vegeta hated shish kebabs; but that was all Chi-Chi ever brought to barbeques.

"Very well Trunks." Smirked Vegeta. "But you still have to earn it yet!"  
Both father and son dropped into fighting stances and watched each other's eyes carefully, waiting for them to betray the slightest weakness or hesitation. Trunks tried to stake out his father, but Vegeta's gaze was like steel and the gravity was sapping Trunks strength quickly. He broke into a mad dash straight for Vegeta, hoping to catch him off guard through reckless directness, but the charge was easily sidestepped and Trunks was slammed into the floor with a loud _CLANG._

"That's strike one Trunks. Two more to go."  
Ignoring his throbbing forehead, Trunks put on a brave face and pulled himself back onto his feet. Before he taken two steps though, he spun round and launched a volley of flying kicks at Vegeta. The Sayain barely managed to deflect the onslaught of attacks, but Trunks was running out of steam and couldn't keep up the intensity of his attack. Using the push for Vegeta's deflect of his downward hammer kick, Trunks back flipped and fired off a volley of Ki shots, but they pummelled the ground instead of Vegeta; sending up huge clouds of dust and smoke. Blinded by the sudden light and dust, Vegeta searched frantically for any sign of his son, but he heard or saw nothing. Vegeta felt a slight tremble go through his back foot; making him turn and launch a blind punch in the direction he'd felt the vibrations come from. A loud _THUD _echoed as Trunks came tumbling out of the cloud, holding his chest where Vegeta had punched him.

"That was better Trunks." Commented Vegeta. "You're aggression was good and your improvisation was clever, but you hesitated before the kill. A true Sayain never hesitates. He lives by his instincts and a never doubts them. You have one chance left."  
Trunks sat up one last time. This was way tougher than he'd imagined. He'd need to do something really smart or really, really, _really _stupid to win now. And as he rose to his feet for the final bout, he knew something that might just be stupid enough to work. Play on his Dad's pride.

"Alright then Dad, I'll stop going easy on you." Trunks gloated. "Now I'll fight at full power and you're going to lose." Trunks pushed every last drop of Ki he had into amplifying his Aura, trying to make himself appear stronger and fresher than he was. "Get ready to taste the floor."

"How dare you hold back on me!" raged Vegeta, his power already building in anger. "How dare you presume that I need your pity! Today Trunks, your father is going to school you in the true strength of a Super Sayain and you're going to be sorry you mocked me! Now show me what you're made of!"  
_That's right Dad, get angry. _Thought Trunks. He didn't have to wait long before the Elder Sayain rushed forward and began launch round after round of explosive punches and kicks. Trunks didn't try to block the attacks because of their strength, only avoid them. He knew from experience it was much more tiring to pummel air then a static opponent. All he had to do was fight smart and bide his time.  
Vegeta kept up the pace for a long time, but his panting and the slowing of his bullet like punches were showing that his stamina was rapidly deteriorating. It was time. Trunks hopped back against a side kick Vegeta had launched and filled his fists with as much Ki as he could hold before pushing forward on the offense. With the Ki in his hand, each punch exploded on impact, forcing Vegeta to defend desperately and be wary not to get caught by a sideways blast. A heavy downwards punch literally blew Vegeta's guard apart, leaving him wide open to the finishing blow. Vegeta could already see Trunks winding up the payoff strike in the second his guard split. All he had to do was raise his hands, block the knee strike and slam him into a wall and it would all be over.  
But something registered with him before he could react. He didn't want to be here as much as Trunks didn't. He was tired and hungry as well. Vegeta lived to train and fight, but even he knew when enough was enough and staying in one cramped, sweaty room for another seven or eight hours with no food wasn't going to put him in a good mood. Winning the bet would only make matters worse for himself. So what was his reason to win then? The answer was simple. There was no reason. But would his pride let him lose? Could he let Trunks have this one? But one look at his son and how secretly proud he was of him told him; Yes, Trunks could have this one.  
Trunks knee crashed with almighty force straight into Vegeta's chin, sending him arcing through the air before thumping hard onto the floor. The demi-Sayain dropped into a crouch, panting and huffing as the realization began to set in with him.

"I won…" he whispered aloud. "I won." Each time he said it, Trunks became more ecstatic and overjoyed. He began whooping and cheering, careening cartwheels and somersaults around the room.  
"I WON! I DID IT! I won I won I won I won I won I won! WOOHOO!"  
But Trunks cheering ended abruptly when his back collided with a solid surface. Turning around, he found Vegeta glaring down at him eyes narrowed, rubbing his chin angrily. When he raised his hand suddenly, Trunks screwed up his eyes for the impending strike, but was taken off guard when he felt fingers gently tousling his spiky, golden hair. Looking up, Vegeta had his hand resting on Trunks head with a satisfied smile on his face.

"Good job Trunks." He said.

"So… you're not angry Dad?"

"No Trunks. You won fair and square and as a Sayain I am honour bound to keep my promises. Now let's go get something to eat. You can call Goten later and tell him about tonight." With that, Vegeta switched off the gravity field of the room and went to unscrew the door to the gravity chamber. Now with a smile to match his fathers, Trunks dropped to his base form alongside Vegeta and pushed open the heavy door that sealed off the gravity chamber. Bulma was already outside waiting for them, but she did not look happy.

"Boys!" she whispered as savagely as she could. "I just managed to get Bra asleep upstairs and you two start shouting and fighting! Do you know how long it's taken me to calm her down?! I swear unless you can keep it down I will take that gravity chamber apart with my own bare hands!"  
Still too happy to be fazed by the lecture, Trunks immediately jumped up and wrapped his mother in a sweaty embrace.

"Guess what Mom? We're having guests tonight!" He told her excitedly. "Goten and his whole family! Dad said we could!"

"Did he now?" asked Bulma with her eyebrows raised, head turned to Vegeta. The Sayain avoided her gaze and instead went hunting for the rag he used to dry his sweat with.  
"Trunks, honey, could you go take a shower and get cleaned up? Try not to be too loud so you don't wake Bra, okay?"

"Okay!" the young Sayain replied brightly before scurrying upstairs.

Trunks wasn't gone more than two seconds before Bulma slunk up behind Vegeta who was towelling off his face and arms. She gently traced the line of one of his many scars with her fingernail across his back before pressing her forehead against his spine. He froze on contact.

"Since when did you enjoy company hun?" she asked.

"I don't." he replied flatly before continuing to towel off.

"Then I'm guessing you made another one of your deals with Trunks?" she questioned as her arms wrapped around his sides.

"We reached a sort of agreement." He said as she maneuvered her way under his arm so she stood just in front of him, her arms still holding his firm body.

"And Trunks won, did he?"

"Yes. It's about time too. He's been on a losing streak with these deals of ours for the past while." Vegeta still wouldn't look her in the face. He was holding something back.

"Are you sure he won?"

"Of course I'm sure!" he huffed. "Do you not think I'm capable of knowing when I've been bested by my own son?! What is the purpose of all these questions women? Are you not content-"  
Bulma's finger on his lips shut him up then and there. Her finger moved slowly, tracing the line of his jaw until it reached the tip of his chin and turned his head towards hers.

"You let him win, didn't you Vegeta?"  
The Sayain Price whipped his head away already turning red, but did not push her away.

"The boy needed a confidence boost." He muttered unconvincingly. "A Sayain without pride or confidence in his own abilities is as vulnerable as any fighter with half his training."  
Bulma pulled Vegeta near, pressing his solid, warm body close to hers.

"You're a sweet man Vegeta. Far sweeter than you'd have us believe."  
There was a few seconds of silence before he too raised his arms and held his wife close. His bossy, demanding, vane, weakling wife. But she was his and like no one else in the entire cosmos.

"Thank you." Was all he said. The two broke apart as Bulma hopped up on her tip-toes and planted a small peck on Vegeta's cheek.

"You're welcome hun!" she said brightly before hurrying off. "I bet you and Trunks are hungry! I'll put some lunch on! Anything you'd like?" she called back from the Kitchen.  
Vegeta went to call back when he felt a slight pinch at the back of his neck. Gripping the spot with his fingers, he pulled out what looked like a tiny feather that had lodged in his skin. Odd. Standard earth weapons had no effect on him. How had a simple feather broken through his skin? Vegeta flicked away the feather and began to make his way to the kitchen when he was suddenly hit by a wave of nausea. He stopped dead and slid down to the floor while leaning against the wall. This shouldn't happen. He didn't get sick. He was a Sayain. Earth ailments couldn't affect him.

"Mom! They're no towels left! Where do we keep the spares?" Trunks called as he thudded down the stairs. As soon as he reached the bottom, he spotted his father and rushed to him.

"Dad! What's wrong?! Come on, talk to me!"

"Nothing Trunks." Vegeta said weakly. "Just feeling a little woozy. It's nothing." He tried to stand again, but he couldn't even manage one step before collapsing. He was sweating. His veins felt like they were on fire. His left arm was going numb and his right hand was gripping the spot where his heart was.

"Dad! What do I do?! Just tell me what to do!"

"Trunks…" Vegeta panted.

"What?!"

"I… ugh… can't breathe…"  
And with that Vegeta's world went dark.

"Dad… DAD! Wake up! Please dad, please wake up!" Trunks screamed, desperately shaking his father and pulling at his clothing.

"Trunks!" Bulma yelled, coming storming out of the kitchen. "In thought I told you to be qui-"  
But the words died in her throat when she found her son crying over her husband's prone form.

"No…" she rushed over and fell to her knees next to Trunks. "No. No! NO! Nononononononononono!"

"Mom, I'm scared. What do we do?"  
The simple sentence seemed to snap Bulma back to reality, getting her to take stock of the situation.

"Trunks pick up your father and follow me!" she ordered. Trunks obediently picked up Vegeta's limp body and followed her deeper into the house.

"Shouldn't we get him to a hospital mom?" Asked Trunks. "Or just give him a Senzu bean?"

"Earth medicines don't work on Sayains the same it works on humans Trunks." She said. "And Senzu beans only heal injuries. We don't know what's wrong with your father, but I have something that might be able to help."  
Bulma burst into the lab and ordered Trunks to set Vegeta down on the table top. A few quick control codes punched into the super computer and the work top began to expand and unfold. It folded into a kind of bed with a soft glowing white light and a glass dome that surrounded Vegeta's body and sealed him off from everyone else.

"Mom, what is that?" Trunks gawked.

"It's a stasis pod Trunks." Bulma replied, her mind heavily occupied. "I based it on the designs in Vegeta's Sayain ship for healing tanks. It's not as advanced as the alien technology, but it'll stop whatever is affecting your father from worsening while I run scans to see what's wrong with him."  
A sudden loud hissing noise made them both jump as a jet of warm, white mist blew into the lab, engulfing them both.

"A steam pipe must have ruptured!" yelled Bulma over the hiss. "Trunks, see if you can find the leak and then go get your sister and bring her down here. I don't want her on her own."

"On it mom!" Trunks quickly flew away to find the leak, but the hiss had stopped and he couldn't determine the source of the steam. Quickly giving up, he flew upstairs and picked up his baby sister as carefully as he could. He flew back down as quickly as he dared while carrying Bra and sat down with her in his lap on one of the lab stools. He sat morbidly transfixed as his mother laboured over the controls of the stasis pod, trying to keep his father alive.

"Please don't die Dad." He whispered as a single small tear rolled down his cheek. But he couldn't cry. He had to be strong. For his father. For his sister. And most importantly, for his mother. "Don't die Dad. I can't lose you. Not again."


	2. Chapter 2

**Two Sides  
Chapter 2: Hello and Goodbye**

_Five days later…_

"Well, here it goes." Said Bulma as she shakily typed in the release code into the computer panel of the Stasis pod. Vegeta had been in there for three days now with signs of improvement showing with each passing day. Trunks had sat like a guard dog the whole time, waiting and ready to react in case anything happened to his father. But all Vegeta's vitals were reading normal with no signs of illness, infection or even slight trauma. It was if he'd never come close to dying at all. But now was the moment of truth they'd been waiting for. The moment when they opened the pod and woke Vegeta up.  
The pods shell slid open with a light hiss as the cleaned, filtered air that had been recycled inside escaped alongside the slight odour of dried sweat. Once the contraption had completely withdrawn into the table, Bulma and Trunks risked stepping up next to the still unconscious form of Vegeta.

"Dad, wake up." Trunks said softly, shaking his father shoulder. "You're better now."

"Trunks, be careful." Bulma cautioned. "He's had an incredibly hard time. He might still be in shock."  
But Trunks was having none of it.

"Come on Dad." Trunks said louder, shaking harder. "Wake up."

"Trunks!" Bulma scolded.

"Dad, please wake up!" Trunks was getting panicked again. "Moms machine made you better! You can move now! Please, come on!"  
But Vegeta was still no responding.

"Come one Dad, wake up!" Trunks was yelling, tears rolling down his little face. "You can't go Dad! I don't want you to die again! It hurts Dad! Don't die please!"

With a sudden roar, Vegeta sat bolt upright as he flared into Super Sayain form and pulled his family into him before they could react. Bulma and Trunks found themselves crushed against Vegeta's side as he sat panting with his free arm outstretched, a shining ball of Ki hovering in his palm, ready to shoot off and obliterate whatever nightmarish vision was standing before him.

"Vegeta…ugh" Bulma choked out. "It's… okay… ugh… You're safe…"  
Vegeta remain wide eyed and fixated on the far wall for a few seconds longer before the Ki in his palm fizzled out, he returned to his base form and released his family from his death grip. Still breathing a little too deeply, he swung his legs out to the side and ran his hand over his face and eyes before hopping down and marching off without even glancing sideways at the wife and son he'd nearly crushed a few seconds ago.

"Vegeta, wait." called Bulma. The Sayain stopped, but didn't turn around. "What did you see in there?"

"Nothing."

Now showered and fed, Vegeta seemed a good deal healthier, but still considerably out of sorts. His gaze, usually so focused and piercing, now seemed to either drift lazily about as if he were in some strange, alien world. _He seems so distracted, _thought Bulma as she gently cradled the gurgling Bra against her breast.  
_Maybe I'll call Chi-Chi and organise for that Barbeque to go ahead tonight. It should be just the pick-me-up the boys need after what they've been through. The company will do them the world of good!  
_With her mind all made up, Bulma picked up the phone and pressed 1 to get Chi-Chi on speed dial. The phone rang for a few seconds before the receiver clicked and Bulma heard her friend's familiar voice down the line.

"Hello?"

"Chi-Chi, hi! It's Bulma. Listen, I know this is a little short notice, but I was wondering if you and the family would like to come over for dinner tonight? Vegeta's been sick this past while and Trunks was awful worried, so I thought the company would cheer them up."

"Oh, I'd love to! And I'm sure the boys won't say no. What time should we come over at?"

"How's 5.30?"  
There was a sharp intake of breathe on the line.

"Chi-Chi?"

"Sorry Bulma, we probably won't be able to make it until at least 6.30. We've got to wait for a plumber who's coming over to take a look at the piping. One of the pipes ruptured yesterday and there was steam everywhere! We're lucky nobody got hurt."

"Wait, you said steam pipe?" asked Bulma.

"Yes, a steam pipe." Replied Chi-Chi. "Does that mean something to you?"

"It's just an odd coincidence. We had the same problem on the day Vegeta got sick but-"  
Bulma was interrupted by a tugging on the hem of her dress, where she turned to see Trunks holding up a stack a letters that he'd picked up from the front door.  
"Look, sorry Chi-Chi, I have to go now but I'll see you later and I hope the steam pipe is nothing major. Take care."

"Bye Bulma! I hope Vegeta feels better!"  
With her conversation finished, Bulma turned and took the letters off Trunks.

"Trunks, how many times have I told you not to interrupt when I'm on the phone?" she asked.

"But you always tell me to bring you the mail as soon it arrives though." He replied.

_I do, don't I? _she thought tiredly. _It figures the one time he listens to me it happens to go against something else I say._ But he was listening at least. It was step in the right direction. Now all she had to do was teach him about patience and timing.

"Good job Trunks." She said, leafing through the mail. "Will you check and see if the baby monitor is working upstairs? I swear it's on the blink as of late. And bring your sister with you."

"Okay mom." He sighed as he took Bra off her hands before flying up to the third landing.

"Hey! What did I say about flying in the house?! Especially not with your sister!" she yelled before turning back to the letters. _Alright, let's see the damage this week. _Bills for her, bills for her, bills for her, a meeting rescheduled, bills for her, bills for her and a letter for Vegeta. Probably just a message to renew his subscription to one of those martial arts magazines he liked; that she'd have to pay for anyway. But he didn't get much mail, so she figured he might as well be allowed to read it.

"Here hun." She said passing him the letter. "Something for you this week."  
He wordlessly took the letter from her and tore open the flap before glancing over it dismissively, just the way he read everything. Bulma was digging through her letters trying to figure out who'd have been making over 12,000 Zeni worth of calls to Nigeria when she noticed something. The place was quiet. Too quiet. She looked back over her shoulder to see if Vegeta was okay, but almost jumped when she saw he was no longer there. Whipping her head around, she spotted him standing in the hall, hunched over the letter in his hands, eyes properly fixated and focused for the first time since he'd woken. But it wasn't that general steely look of determination he always wore. This was looked more like shock or worse still; terror.

"Vegeta? Honey, are you okay?" she asked, trying to move in so she could see what was written in the letter. Before she could get close enough though, Vegeta crushed the letter into his fist and with a small Ki ball, set the whole thing smouldering to pieces. Seeing the burning letter dropping to the floor, Bulma stopped walking. She didn't know what she was supposed to do.  
"Vegeta?"

"Bulma…" he said without looking back at her. "I have to go away for a while. I don't know for how long or if I'll be back, but you must stay strong without me. Don't let Trunks keep going to school. Make sure he stays inside and keeps up his training. Tell him he is responsible for you now. Don't believe anything people may tell you and whatever you do, don't try and find me."  
Vegeta began a slow walk to the front door, not even bothering to take anything with him. A feeling of a hand on his arm prompted him to stop, seeing his wife clutching him for all she was worth, tears streaming for her eyes.

"Why?" she choked. "We only just had you back and now you have to go? Why do you keep hurting us like this Vegeta?"  
He turned to her, lifting her head up to his as gently as he could, a strange sadness haunting his eyes that she had never seen before.

"Bulma, I would never hurt you if I could help it. But all this I do for my family. Take care and be strong."

"But Vege-"  
She did not get any further. A blink and she was holding onto air, the warmth of his body still teasing against her skin. He was gone.

"Mom, the batteries were dead!" called Trunks, coming down the stairs. "But I managed to find a few spares lying around."  
He sauntered around the corner, only to find Bulma collapsed to her knees on the ground.

"Mom, are you okay?"  
He rushed over to her, holding her shoulder to make sure she didn't fall over. He quickly whipped his head around to see what could have done this to her, but noticed something else instead.

"Mom, where's dad?"  
Just one look. One look in at his face, the face that reminded her so much of Vegeta's and that was all it took for her to break. Sobbing, Bulma latched her arms around Trunks neck in almost a vice grip and cried into her sons shoulder.

"Mom, come on." He sniffed, trying to keep the tears away. "It's okay. You're alright." But it was a thing he had. If his mother laughed, he did to even if he didn't know why. If she sleepy, he got drowsy too. And now with her weeping so solidly into his chest, he couldn't suppress the need to let it out either. Mother and Son, they sobbed solidly for minutes on end until they were numb and dry. They had not tears left to give. Trunks helped his mother up and sat her down at the table as gently as he could. He flew silently upstairs, carried down Bra and passed her to his mother, hoping she might help calm Bulma. Then he picked up the phone and dialled Goten's house. The phone answered on the first ring.

"Hello?" came Chi-Chi's voice.

"Hi Chi-Chi, this is Trunks." He said hoarsely. "I'm sorry to trouble you so late, but I don't think we can do that barbeque tonight."

_The three weeks later…_

"Trunks! Put your plate away once you're finished eating!" Bulma called. "Honestly, does everything I tell you go in one ear and out the other?"

"Sorry mom." Trunks sighed, loading the dishwasher with the cutlery from dinner.  
It had been almost a month since Vegeta had vanished on them. Trunks was handling well, seeing as the amount of time Vegeta spent training he didn't see him too regularly, it was almost like there had been no change for him. Bulma was just about holding up, but it was different for her. The empty space next to her in bed every night. The loss of that assuring warmth and solidity she could anchor herself to during the rough times. There was no substitute for that, but she needed to keep a brave face for the kids. However, the uncertainty killed her. If Vegeta was dead or gone for good she would grieve and feel pain, but one day it might subside and she could move on with her life. But there was nothing so final now. She still entertained the idea Vegeta would come back. And every day that door remained closed and her bed remained empty, it only hurt her more_. Bulma, I would never hurt you if I could help it. But all this I do for my family. _He had said, but she was hurting now and where was he now that she needed him? _Why did you have to go Vegeta?_

"Mom. Mom!" Trunks voice brought her back to reality, making sure she wiped away her escaped tears before she looked at him. "Can I watch T.V.?"

"Of course Trunks. But only for an hour. I want you in bed before 9.30 tonight."

"Okay." The young Sayain pottered into the almost cavernously huge living room and plonked himself town in front of the T.V., remote in hand. Nothing on, nothing on, nothing on, bad Kung Fu movie, nothing on, nothing on, nothing on, fake wrestling, nothing on, decent Kung Fu movie and finally news. Seeing as there was nothing else on, Trunks stared at the rolling headlines disinterestedly. Maybe there would be a collapsed building or something that he could convince his mom to let him outside to help with. Maybe Goten could come too. The news suddenly cut to a section on a number of anonymous terrorist attacks and massacres in unrelated cities, one of the being East City; only 100km east of the house. Trunks interest peaked. If something like this was going so close to home, his mom would have to let him go! But a quick, poorly shot clip of buildings being demolished with what looked like energy based weaponry was what made Trunks almost head-butt the screen to try and catch what he'd seen. Something familiar had flashed across the corner of the screen as the camera turned. _Thank goodness for TiVo, _thought Trunks, rewinding the footage and pausing it at the exact instant that camera began to pan. The image was blurry, but undeniable.

"**MOM!" **he yelled. "YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!"  
Bulma shoved her head around the corner with a clearly annoyed expression.

"Trunks, you are never to yell at me like that again! And what could be so important that…"  
But her voice trailed off as she caught sight of the figure in the corner of the 70-inch plasma T.V. She rushed over, still cradling Bra, to get a better look at the figure, to try and disaffirm her worst nightmare, but the image only solidified her fears more clearly.  
"Go call Goku. Tell him to come here as fast as possible." She said, but her mind was still fixed on the blurry figure on the T.V. screen. As Trunks charged into the kitchen to make the call, Bulma took one more look at the screen. Inestimable property damage. Hundreds dead. Thousands injured. A mop of spiky blonde hair. The same blue training _gi_. It just wasn't possible.  
The phone finally picked up after five agonisingly long rings.

"Hello?"

"Goten, you need to get your Dad and brother and get down here now!"

"What? Why? What's wrong Trunks?"

"We found my Dad."


	3. Chapter 3

**Two Sides  
Chapter 3: Choices and Consequences**

"Trunks, as you're mother I forbid you to leave this house! It's dangerous and you're father specifically said not to let you out of my sight!" Bulma yelled for about the fiftieth time that morning. Goten, Gohan and Goku had rushed to the house the previous evening upon word of Vegeta's whereabouts and what he was now responsible for. With the death toll already in the thousands and numbers climbing by the hour, there was no question between them of what had to be done. They'd agreed to meet up at the Briefs residence the following morning and take off to see if they could track Vegeta's Ki signature and talk him down, but everyone knew what it would come to if Vegeta resisted. And while it was the most likely outcome, nobody wanted to even consider the possibility.  
But as with all plans, there were obstacles on the road. Getting the Senzu beans and all the Z fighters together wasn't the trouble, but trying to persuade Bulma and Chi-Chi to let them go was a whole different story. Chi-Chi has been unusually quiet after her original reflexive "No!", but Bulma hadn't stopped tearing strips off them since the moment they arrived.

"…and to top it all off, you're nine! Normal nine year olds should be going to school and playing sport, not going on global manhunts to find their fathers!"

"But mom, he's my dad! He's my responsibility, especially if people are getting hurt! And I'm not a normal nine year old; you knew that I'd never be normal, not with Vegeta as my dad!"

"Don't you take that tone with me young man!" Bulma yelled wagging her finger. "If you knew how hard I worked so you and your father could train like you do, you wouldn't be-"  
But she was cut off in mid-sentence by Chi-Chi placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Bulma, I think we need to talk."

"Chi-Chi, really? I am right in the middle of-"

"Now." Was all the petit black haired woman said, but all Chi-Chi needed was one word to let you know how serious she was.

"Fine." Bulma huffed. Walking back into the house while the boys prepared for their search, Bulma thought maybe Chi-Chi was giving her a new angle to approach this at. After all she had been dealing with this kind of thing since Gohan was four. What followed however was not what she was expecting.

"I think you should let him go."

"What?!" Bulma blurted. "But Chi-Chi, he's nine! And I thought of all people would understand!"

"Listen Bulma, I know what you're going through and I really do understand, but I've been dealing with boys for years. I've raised two of them; well… technically three if you count having to settle Goku down, but I know how it works. They may think that they're grown up and independent but no matter how old they get or how strong they become, when you look at them as their mother all you see is that same delicate little baby that you fell in love with the first time you laid your eyes on them."  
Chi-Chi paused, almost seeming a little weary and teary eyed.

"Chi-Chi, are you sure you're okay?" Bulma asked, not used to such confessions. Chi-Chi was her friend of course, but usually she was such a reserved woman.

"No, I'm fine. What I'm trying to say is that that feeling never goes away, but you have to learn to trust them and let go. I missed most of Gohan growing up because of all the dangers Earth was put in and after Goku died, I never thought I'd cope, especially after finding out about being pregnant with Goten. But Gohan stepped up when I least expected it and now he's everything I'd hoped he'd be. He's educated, healthy, has a proper sense of justice and decency, has a girl who adores him and pretty soon may have his own home. While it hurts, I can't hold onto him as my baby forever because he's just not anymore. And I think you need to do the same with Trunks. Besides, he misses his Father and I'm sure you miss him too."

Just like that. Just like that Chi-Chi had hit her where it hurt the most and had done it with such earnest and quiet understanding, Bulma couldn't even be angry about it. And she was right. No matter how callous and rough he may be, Trunks deserved his father back. And she wanted him back too. There was not getting around it.

"Fine." Sighed Bulma with a smile. "You win Chi-Chi."  
Returning to the yard, Trunks sat impatiently against the house, continuously unsheathing and resheathing the sword Tapion had given him only a few months before.

"Trunks, how many times have I told you not to play with that thing? It's not a toy." Said Bulma. Trunks sighed as he stood preparing for a lecture and to have his weapon taken away, but was surprised when Bulma began fixing it to his back and tying the straps across his chest.

"You can go Trunks, okay? But only if you promise me you'll be careful out there. Deal?"  
A huge happy grin split Trunks face before he leapt forward to give his mother a tight embrace.

"Deal." He whispered. "Love you mom."  
He broke off before padding back over to Goten and the other Z fighters.

"Alright guys, we've got a job to do." said Goku, addressing the assembled warriors. "Vegeta's out there somewhere and we think he's done something awful. We need to find him ASAP, so we need to work together." He then began to break the party into pairs to search.

"Tien and Chiaotzu, you guys search East City and all the surrounding areas for at least a 100km."  
The two nodded their response.

"Yamcha and Krillin, you cover the desert to the South and the Southern wastelands."

"Gotcha'." They replied in unison.

"Piccolo and Gohan, you take the glacier fields to the North and the nearby islands."  
Two nods.

"Trunks and Goten, search the Western seaboard and all the surrounding islands and land."

"Right."

"I'll be searching the underworlds, the overworlds and King Kai's planet to see if I can find him. Fly slow and keep your senses sharp. Vegeta can hide his Ki like the rest of us, so if you feel something, go for it. We all know what we're doing?"  
There were unanimous nods, but still Piccolo piped up one complaint.

"And what if we actually find him? You know that you and Gohan are the only two of us who stand a chance of stopping Vegeta if it comes down to it. The most the rest of us can do is slow him down. And even if we do find him, we don't have a way to pass on the message fast enough."

"_I wouldn't be so sure about that Piccolo."  
_Everyone but Goku jumped at the unexpected voice in their head.

"_King Kai, boy am I glad to hear from you. You haven't seen Vegeta anywhere have you?"_

"_Not a thing Goku. It's so strange considering how I can usually feel his and your presence all the way from Earth."_ The private conversation ended as King Kai mentally addressed the group.

"_Listen up ladies! If any of you find Vegeta, you tell me where you felt his energy straight away. I'll pass the message onto Goku and he can Instant Transmission his way to you in a second. But keep your eyes peeled. I can only be as useful as long as you guys do your jobs."  
_With the orders given and plans made the pack broke into its teams and got ready to launch.

"Alright guys!" yelled Goku over the billowing wind stirred up by their rising Ki. "Let's go find Vegeta!"

"Oh, you don't have to look far to find me Kakarot."  
Even through the raging wind, that one sentence cut through the minds of all the Z fighters like a shard of ice. All noise died and all colour drained away from the world as they turned in collected shock to behold none other than Vegeta himself leaning casually against the Briefs home with a confident leer set upon his features. The collected froze with the look he was giving them. The look of a predator selecting his next meal. But Goku stood at the front, stony faced and defiant as he stared Vegeta down.

"Guys, get out of here. This isn't your fight. Gohan, Goten, Trunks go take care of your mothers. Stay inside unless you absolutely have to leave." He said, never once taking his eyes off his opponent.

"But dad…" Goten began.

"Go."  
The group dispersed without further discussion.  
The two Sayains were left alone in the yard, endless silence dragging on and on in anticipation of who would break first, never once breaking eye contact. Still, Goku noted a number of aspects of Vegeta's appearance had changed. He'd re-donned the armour he'd worn to fight Cell, but it now was black and polished to a chrome finish. The abdomen guard and shoulder straps were now dyed a deep scarlet and his white gloves and boots had been traded out for black fingerless ones and heavy, thick boots that looked like they were made of something that was a cross between leather and nylon. Lastly, his leggings were the same colour as his abdomen guard and there seemed to be dozens of small wires embedded into his skin that ran from his gloves up his bare arms until they disappeared inside his armour.

"I must admit Kakarot, this is a somewhat cold welcoming considering the length of my absence."

"I don't welcome murderers."

"Is that so? Is that what your family say to you, knowing all the lives you've taken?" he sneered, taking his back off the house. Goku grimaced.

"I kill to protect and only if I have to. I'm not someone who slaughters innocents by the thousands."

"So, you finally figured it out? Well done Kakarot; would you like a medal?" laughed Vegeta sarcastically, performing a condescending slow clap.

"Don't you dare joke about that!" Goku yelled, anger peaking. "Do you even know how many people are dead because of you?! Thousands! Entire families wiped out because of you!"

"I'm sorry, is this the part where I'm supposed to drop to my knees and beg forgiveness?"

"ENOUGH!" Goku bellowed his Ki exploding out in one huge wave that caused all the surrounding trees to bend with the force. But Vegeta didn't even blink.  
"I'm going to stop you and I don't care how I do it! But before I do, I want to know why you did it. Why do this now Vegeta? You have a family! You have kids! You're almost as much an earthling as anyone! Why do it?!"

"It's called cutting loose Kakarot." Grinned Vegeta coldly. "Bulma's always telling me to do it more often."

"**KYYAAAAAAAAAA!"**  
With speed almost too great to detect, Goku shot forward and delivered such a hammering blow to Vegeta's face, it sent him crashing back through the perimeter wall and left a deep trench in the road outside where he'd landed. The Sayain floated down to the crater, waiting to see what was left of his friend, but upon landing laughter greeted him from the hole. A pompous, smug laugh that echoed and cut as Vegeta rose from the pit with no signs of injury except for a small stream of blood coming from his split lip.

"Not a bad move Kakarot. But I'd rather skip the warm up."  
Faster than he could react, Vegeta exploded into Super Sayain form and landed a heavy knee strike straight into Goku's stomach, his mind almost blanked out. But he managed to retain enough sense to transform himself and raise his hands to fend of the stream of blows Vegeta was raining down on him. Each blow deflected sent a shockwave through the ground that made the cement buckle and nearby windows explode into tiny shards as the two Sayains raged in heated battle. Grabbing Vegeta's wrist mid strike, Goku guided the fist to embed in the Earth before catching him with a powerful right hook that sent him spinning. Going in the follow up with a rushing elbow, Vegeta suddenly dropped and fired a two footed kick straight into Goku's chest that sent him rocketing into the air. Vegeta was already in pursuit, arm drawn back to strike when he suddenly disappeared. Pulling to sudden stop, Goku whipped his head around to see but received a palm to his face that latched on and drove the back of his head straight into the ground; an impact that felt like he'd almost mulched his brains. Goku tried to wrestle off the offending hand, but not before the tell-tale glow of Ki surrounded Vegeta palm, still attached to his face.

"**BIG BANG ATTACK!"**

The column of Hellfire suddenly exploded out of the ground so violently, Gohan could feel the heat from the vantage point He, Goten and Trunks stood perched upon several hundred meters away.

"Oh man, this does not look good!" yelled Gohan over the ensuing explosion. "Dad needs our help! Goten, let's go!"

"Right!"

"Wait!" yelled Trunks. "I'm coming too!"  
Nobody argued. The boys exploded into Super Sayain form and tore through the sky towards the raging inferno that just grew in size and intensity the longer Vegeta's and Goku's battle dragged on.

The tongues of flames licking against his back as the impact of Vegeta's fist hammered against his head was rapidly leeching Goku's energy. The damage he'd taken from that energy blast had been severe and with the fire raging around him, he was running out of oxygen fast. But Vegeta didn't seem to need the air to fight. He was running on pure rage.

"What's wrong Kakarot?! Afraid to fight back?!" Another blow to the head. "Look at your worthless world burning around you! Does it make you angry?! Aren't you compelled to protect it?!" A punch to the temple. "Don't you want to see your family again?! Aren't you the least bit driven to survive?!"

All the response Vegeta got was a small, bloody cough and a weak smile.

"**FIGHT BACK DAMMIT!"  
**Vegeta raised his hands to deliver the final blow, but a sudden powerful kick to the side sent him hurtling through a wall of flames, cutting him off from view. Gohan scooped his father up out of the pile of smashed rubble and began to gently ascend out of the range of the fire.

"I thought I… told you to… stay away…" moaned Goku.

"I'm not gonna let you die dad. It happened once before. Never again." Goten and Trunks quickly pulled up to the injured Goku and Gohan. "Goten, give dad a Senzu bean, quick!"

He quickly fished a few of the beans out of the satchel in his Gi, but as soon as he went to place them in his father's mouth, they spontaneously burst into flames. Only slightly singed a few meters away stood Vegeta, fingers aimed directly at the beans.

"I never did like the taste of those things."

"Trunks take care of my Dad! Goten, let's go!" yelled Gohan, handing Goku over to Trunks.  
Gohan and Goten double teamed Vegeta with Gohan going with punches on the high and Goten launching kicks on the low. The strategy seemed to be working as it spread Vegeta's defence as thin as it would go, with the occasional kick striking is leg or jab breaking through and grazing his cheek. But as soon as things were looking up, Gohan and Goten were blown back by an explosive wave of light and electricity followed by an ear rending shout. When they looked back, Vegeta's entire body was crackling with an aura of blue lightning.

"Damn, he's ascended!" yelled Gohan. "There's only one thing for it!"  
The air around Gohan began to vibrate wildly as a rising shout grew in his chest. The air was filled with static before a huge roar of energy surrounded his body and exploded out with a sonic boom and a blinding flash. When Goten could finally see again, his big brother was now surrounded by his own lightning and looked ready to kill.

"Gohan?" asked Goten, intimidated by how serious his brother was. He'd never seen anything like this before.

"Goten, listen carefully. I'm gonna hold him off as long as I can and make an opening for you. You'll know it when you see it. Once it's there, hit him with everything you have."

"But, what about you?"  
Gohan turned and offered up a smile.

"Don't worry about me."  
With that, the Demi-Sayain charged Vegeta at top speeds and began throwing punches like his life depended on it. Goten watched like a hawk for that opening that Gohan had promised, but all he could see was that despite his brave efforts, Gohan was fighting a losing battle. Vegeta was stronger, faster, more experienced and far less rusty than Gohan. Each sloppy strike was easily deflected and dodged, until both Gohan's fists thudded heavily into Vegeta's palms and would not release.

"What's wrong boy? Out of breathe?" mocked Vegeta.

"Nope. But you're out of time!" Gohan delivered a huge head-butt straight to Vegeta's forehead, momentarily stunning him. In that second, Gohan grabbed Vegeta's wrist and twisted his arm around his back into a lock before striking just below the shoulder blade on his free arm. The nerve punch took effect as Vegeta's arm went limp, and Gohan completed the hold.

"Goten now!"  
The younger Demi-Sayain immediately began pushing the limits of his power, trying to focus all the energy he had into his hands as he wound up the blast to finish Vegeta.

"Ka…me…."

"Let go of me you idiot!" yelled Vegeta, still struggling against Gohan's hold. "If you stay here, you'll be killed by this blast as well!"

"If that's what it takes to get rid of you, then that's what'll happen!"

"ha…"

But as the Kamehameha was in its final stages of preparation, Vegeta felt a slight tingle in the fingers of his dead arm. The nerve punch was wearing off. He tried to get his fingers moving again, letting the muscles loosen back up.

"me…"

"Any last words Vegeta?"

"I do. It takes more than a runt…" Vegeta's fingers tightened into a fist. "…to kill a PRINCE!"  
Vegeta swung his free elbow up to connect exactly with Gohan's temple, making him lose his grip on Vegeta.

"**HA!"  
**Goten fired off the fully charged Kamehameha wave as Vegeta reached back, grabbing Gohan by his shoulders and flipping him over his before delivering a sharp kick to his back that sent him flying straight towards the oncoming beam. Goten tried desperately to redirect the blast as his brother was hurtling towards him, but to no avail. The impact of Gohan and Kamehameha created an uncontrollable explosion with a blinding flash and an even more blinding cloud of smoke. Goten tried to search for his brothers Ki in the cloud, but felt only a weak presence falling to earth, accompanied by the sight of his bloodied and burnt body.

"Gohan!" Goten immediately shot after his brother to try and deliver the Senzu beans in his Gi and maybe save him, but didn't even make it half the distance before Vegeta crashed straight into him before slamming him repeatedly into the earth. Once the boy was unconscious and bleeding openly, Vegeta dug through his Gi and produced the small drawstring bag containing the Senzu beans. Just as he was about to Vaporize the things though, a searing hot pain ran up his forearm, making him drop the beans. Looking to the source of the attack, Vegeta could see Trunks panting heavily while openly brandishing Tapion's sword that was covered in his blood.

"What's the meaning of this Trunks?" asked Vegeta.

"I'm stopping you dad!" he yelled defiantly, gripping the sword tighter. "I can't let you hurt Goten, Gohan, Goku or anyone, anymore!"  
The two stood in a stalemate, neither one moving. But Vegeta could see the tip of the sword was trembling.

"Then why haven't you done anything Trunks?"

"Because… because I don't wanna hurt you dad. Please, just come home. We can go back to normal and pretend this never happened. It'll be just like it used to!"

"That's not Sayain talk like I taught you boy." Said Vegeta, stunning Trunks with his coldness. Before he could react, Vegeta had kicked the sword out of his hands and punted him into the air, and now had his good hand around his throat. "You should never be merciful in battle. It'll get you killed. Never remorse, no matter who the opponent is."

"Vegeta!"  
Vegeta's head whipped to the side as the voice of his wife came echoing across the ruined battlefield while she ran towards him, resisting the efforts of the Z fighters that tried to keep her still.

"Put him down! Put him down right now!" She screamed.  
Looking back at his dangling son, Vegeta realized his must have tightened his grip upon hearing his name because Trunks was going purple and almost out cold. Vegeta dropped him unceremoniously just as he was passing into unconsciousness and scooped up the bag of Senzu beans before popping one in his mouth for his arm wound. Just as he was chewing, the hidden communicator concealed in his inner ear began to vibrate. Placing two fingers against his ear to activate it, the transmission went live.

"What do you want now?"

_That was an impressive performance Vegeta. I must say, you did far better than anticipated._

"Was that all you had to say?"

_Far from it. In fact, I have your latest orders. I want you to decimate the land. Just the houses where you are, not the city. Slaughter all the humans, but leave the Sayains as they are. I have further plans for them._

The… humans… But Bulma… and Bra…

"But… that wasn't what we agreed! You asked me to test the strength of the other Sayains and they're clearly not a threat! The humans can do even less harm! There's not need to kill them!"

_But it is my whim Vegeta and you must see to it. If not, you will have failed your assignment and you know what the punishment for failure is._

"No, please no!" he gasped. "Not that! Anything but that!"

_You have failed me Vegeta. And I am a man of my word._  
A deadening click echoed damningly across the line and Vegeta knew he'd made a mistake. Within a second, Bulma collapsed to the ground as her body and the bodies of all the Z fighters and humans began to spasm and writhe. Red lightning arced around their body and fire flooded their veins and each atom of their being felt like it was slowly being torn apart. Howling, animalistic cries of unimaginable agony assaulted Vegeta from all directions as the punishment was served. Vegeta crouched down and held his son, trying to calm him, trying to stop him from thrashing, but only screams of white hot pain left his throat as he twisted and spun in his Father's arms. He couldn't bear this any longer. Vegeta immediately opened the transmission again and began yelling down the line.

"I'll do it! Dammit, I'll do it, just make it stop!"

_Oh, you've reconsidered so soon? I think you might need to more time to think though._

"No! I'll do it, just let them be!"

_But you have disobeyed me Vegeta. This requires punishment. So I don't want you to kill the humans anymore.  
_The torturous noises died down as they all began to regain control over their bodies.

"What is it then?! What do you want?!"

_I want you to kill your son._

"…I…"

_No energy attacks. You will use your hands. And you will look him in the eyes as you do it. These are my demands Vegeta. It's that, or they all die and much slower, more painful death.  
_Beaten. He was beaten. He had no choice. He'd make it quick. He wouldn't feel a thing.

Vegeta walked numbly over to where Trunks lay. He reached down gingerly and gently propped his son back up. He took a good long look at him, seeing so much of himself that had passed down to him and how much of that Sayain Pride he'd come to inhabit. He reached forward and drew his son into a long silent embrace. At some point, Trunks hands rose and held him as well. When Vegeta pushed away, he was reluctant to let go, but did so anyway. Kneeling down, he placed his hands on either of his sons cheeks and look a last look at his face before fixing his eyes dead on Trunks.

"Dad?"

"Trunks… I'm so sorry…"

_CRACK!  
_Bulma's head shot up at the sound of the sickly crunch, just long enough to see her son falling to the ground. Her heart stopped. The breath caught in her throat. There was no way that could be. No way. Not even he could do that. He who'd ended races and destroyed planets; even he couldn't do that to his son…

"**TRUUUUNKS!" **Bulma screamed, sprinting unafraid to the body of her son. She held him, talking to him. Trying to make him alive. But his eyes were dark. The lights were out. There was nothing left but a shell of a boy she'd loved. Bulma sobbed in lamentation of her son as Vegeta looked on, his eyes hidden and his face impassive.

"Why did you do it?!" she suddenly screamed, irate. "You bastard he was your son! He was **my** son!**"  
**A fresh batch of sobs escaped her, but Vegeta continued to look on.

"Remember Bulma, the light never dies until the last ember burns out."

"That's not an answer you bastard!"

"Goodbye."  
In a single flash Vegeta disappeared, leaving his wife and son among the ruined wasteland he'd created and with his motivations a single bit clearer. Too late to stop him, the heavily injured Goku came bounding over to where Trunks lay.

"Bulma, where'd Vegeta go?" he asked.

"He's gone Goku! And he took Trunks with him…" she wept.

"Did he say anything? Anything that could tell us where he might go?"

"Nothing. Just some cryptic message about fires and embers burning out."

"Wait a second." Goku interrupted. "Was what he said; The light never dies until the last ember burns out?"

"That was it. Is that important?"

"That was what I said to Vegeta when we were about to face Majinn Buu. Buu's power was overwhelming and Vegeta looked ready to throw in the towel, but I told him that we were the last embers of in the light of hope and until we died, hope and chance would live on with us and the fire would keep burning. But why would he say that?"

_Maybe he was sending me a message! But about what?_  
Then an idea hit Goku. He began to expand his Ki, trying to sense all life within a short range. Every faint life-force counted. Then Goku touched something. It was weak and losing strength fast but it was there. And it's source was undeniable.

"Bulma put Trunks down now!" Goku yelled, before scrabbling around at the earth. "I think we can still save him!"

"But Goku, he's dead! I saw Vegeta kill him with his bare hands!"

"I think Vegeta didn't want to do it. I think what he told you was a signal that Trunks could be saved, but only if we act fast. Help me find the Senzu beans!"  
Without hesitation, Bulma began groping the grass and scavenging the ground for any sign of even one of the life giving beans. With each second that passed, searching became more frantic, but just as it seemed like they were gone, Goku snatched one out of the grass. He chewed the bean and spat the mush into Trunks mouth and began to rub his unmoving throat downwards.

"C'mon Trunks, swallow. You gotta swallow this!"  
Slowly, Goku felt movement under his hand. It wasn't muscles, but something harder and more brittle rearranging and shifting back into place. Once the movement stopped, there were a few moments of silence before Trunks eyelids twitched ever so slightly and forced themselves to flutter open.

"Wha- where's dad?" he murmured.  
Trunks wasn't conscious for more than a second before Bulma threw herself on him and began weeping tears of joy.

"Mom…" he wheezed. "You're hurting me."  
While Bulma loosened her grip, she refused to let go of her son. But Goku, by contrast, seemed totally withdrawn and preoccupied.

"What's wrong Goku?

"I can't help the feeling we've missed something. I know Vegeta as a fighter and what he was and what he is now are nothing alike. Vegeta wouldn't do this just to spite me or get stronger. He has training to do both of those. And that fact that he didn't kill Trunks, Gohan, Goten or me when he had the chance proves there's something not right. But I feel like I'm forgetting something…"

"Like what?" asked Bulma.

"Just before Vegeta broke Trunks neck, I blanked out. I can't remember anything. Then once I woke up, Trunks was on the ground."

"That same thing happened to me. I was running to Vegeta, can't remember what happened after that and woke up on the ground."

"I can't remember what happened before dad grabbed me either." Piped up Trunks weakly.

"All of us at the same time, huh?" mused Bulma. She stood, carrying Trunks with her. "Goku, get everyone healed up and into my lab as soon as possible. I'm gonna get to the bottom of this."


	4. Chapter 4

**Two Sides  
Chapter 4: The End**

"Everyone inside! I think I finally found what we're looking for!"  
The Z fighters and family quickly moved from living and piled into Bulma's cramped lab. Since Vegeta's prompt appearance, attack and exit only a few days beforehand, it had left them with innumerable worries an even more questions. One that had stood out among them though was the strange occurrence just before Vegeta broke Trunks neck; every single person present had experienced a blackout and memory loss. Once all the fighters had been brought back to full strength, Bulma had begun night and day testing on the Z fighters on everything from their physical strength and hand-eye coordination to their psychological state and emotional stability. But after four days, the tests had failed to show anything abnormal. Until now, that is.

"I think I've finally isolated whatever it is that caused that black out." Bulma informed the group, eyes still fixed on the huge super computer she was operating with the ease that most people handle a toaster.

"All you're blood work came back today and while your cell count, vitamin, mineral, chemical and pH levels are all normal, I've found something odd affecting your cells directly."  
She hammered at a few keys as a huge video loop came to dominate the screen. On it seemed to be small red discs flying at incredible speeds, but with little speckles of grey covering a great deal of their surfaces.

"What we have here is footage out your red blood cells in a simulation of your circulatory system. And these things…" she zoomed in until the little grey specks began to look like steel shells with six legs. "…are nanites."  
The Z fighters looked up in disgust at the hundreds of nanites on screen that infested each and every blood cell like some kind of mechanical colony. Those things were inside them.

"What're they doing there?" asked Piccolo.

"So far they seem to be some kind of remote triggered attack system. It's incredibly advanced; way beyond almost anything we can build on earth currently. While I'm not entirely sure what they're capable of exactly, I do know they serve at least 2 functions when activated."  
She entered a few key strokes and the screen panned out until it showed a full representation of the human circulation system to scale.

"It seems that as they travel through the body when active, they release a neurotoxin that sends muscles into violent spasms and overloads the nerve system by increasing the amount of bio electricity given off, giving the feeling of being electrocuted while being torn limb from limb." She paused to let the boys absorb the information in stony silence.

"But they do their primary job once they reach the brain." Bulma pointed out the multiple blood vessels that ran to the brain, the area highlighting on screen. "Once they get inside, they attack the prefrontal cortex with a huge amount of electricity to destroy all the locally produced proteins."  
When she realized she was receiving nothing but blank stares she sighed exasperatedly, clenching the bridge of her nose between here eyes, before elaborating.

"The prefrontal cortex is the sector of the brain primarily responsible for short term memory and motor control. If the proteins are destroyed, you're unable to store memories or control your limbs; so even if you were aware you were having a seizure, you wouldn't be able to fight it and you certainly wouldn't remember it."

"But that still leaves the Neurotoxin unaccounted for. If it's still in our system, how are we still standing?" asked Gohan.

"That what I thought too. But it seems upon deactivation, the nanites also release a neutralizing agent that converts the toxin to water and leaves no trace of its presence. But that's the only upside."

"So what do we do about them then? We can't just leave them inside our bodies until whoever is controlling them gets bored and decides to kill us. Can't we try and flush them out or fry them with a magnet?" pressed Gohan further.

"There's far too many of those things to remove on a cellular level and I'm afraid there might be a failsafe that if they're tampered with, they might activate and kill the host."  
A beeping message appeared on the computer screen, drawing Bulma's attention away. She pressed a key and the machine began to print the message. Once it had finished, she tore off the sheet and quickly glanced over it, the lines in her face hardening the longer she stared at it.

"And the bad news doesn't end there." She stated grimly. "Just to be safe, I ran the tests on Trunks, Bra, Goten, Chi-Chi and Videl. All the results just came back positive for the presence of Nanites."  
The air was heavy with silence. Bulma had essentially just handed them all a death notice. These things were inside each and every one of them and could kill them at any second. And they were powerless to do anything about it.

"So those are our options then?" asked Tien, bland and serious as ever. "Just sit here until we get electrocuted or until Vegeta comes back for seconds? Because I for one am not sitting around waiting until it's my turn to go. If I'm dying I'm doing it on my feet." The three eyed warrior promptly turned on his heel and went to leave the lab, but stopped short of the exit when he heard laughter.

It was Bulma, chuckling quietly away to herself. Tien didn't seem to be the only one at least somewhat perplexed by the outburst.

"Ah Tien, still as serious as the day I met you." Bulma sighed. "Don't worry boys; you'll all get your turn. If nothing else, I managed at least one productive thing from this research." She immediately began digging around in the drawers full of junk and spare parts that were all over the lab.

"There was one last thing I found out about the Nanites." She said while she continued rifling. "They work on encoded frequency that is almost impossible to break. But, to scramble your signal like that, you'd need a pretty high end scrambler and the origin of the broadcast relatively close by to avoid such a dangerous weapon being hacked or intercepted."  
A smile suddenly blossomed across her face as she pulled out an old Dragonball Radar and held it up for the group to see.

"If you guys can give me a little time, I can jury rig the Dragonball Radars to locate the source of the signal and hopefully we can find whatever is controlling these things and Vegeta with it."

"Why don't we just find the Dragonballs and ask Shenron to get the Nanites out of our bodies?" asked Krillin.

"It's too risky." Answered Goku. "Whoever this is, they're too dangerous as they are. I they ever learned about the Dragonballs existence, it could spell the end of more than just our lives. It could mean the whole Earth and farther still. We can't take the risk of alerting them."  
"Bulma, how soon can you have the radars ready to use?" said Goku, immediately switching his attention without break.

"At a push, within the hour."

"Perfect. Gohan I want you to go home, get Goten, Chi-Chi and Videl and bring them here. They'll be coming with us where we can keep an eye on them. If the Nanites activate, you, Goten and me are more likely to recover from it. We can't take the chance that they might be seriously injured while we're gone. Yamcha, you do the same for Trunks and Bra. We'll get in and hit as hard as we can, no holding back."  
The two boys took off without question, leaving the rest of the Z Fighters to prepare for the impending battle. Tonight they were taking their bodies back, or die trying.

True to her word, Bulma's work had taken her only fifty or so minutes to fix the Dragon Radar to track the broadcast signal rather than the Dragonballs. With all their families either present of hidden safely away, the mismatched bunch consulted the radar showing their destination to be about 500km north-west of their position. Without a moment's hesitation, they flew off at the highest speed the humans could manage, with Bulma, Bra and Chi-Chi tagging behind in a Capsule Corp issue jet.

It wasn't long before their destination started coming close and with it; a foul and rancid odour filled the air that made the fighters gag and their eyes sting. Once their final stop was no more than an easy 10km away, the sky suddenly began to fill with ominous dark clouds, tinged with green on their edges and looking like they were ready to burst.

"Huh, not exactly the most pleasant place is it?" remarked Krillin to Gohan, looking down at the reeking marshes that sped by below them.

"I'm not surprised really. Videl and I learned this place used to be a centre for Chemical Weapon Development when we were in high school. Apparently some big accident turned it into a quarantine zone. It looks like time hasn't done it any favours though."

"Guys, we're here!" came a call from the front. The troupe pulled to a stop, leaving them hovering a hundred or so feet above a large, black rectangular building. No windows, no doors and no grids for ventilation. And that also meant to entrance and no exit.

"So what do we do know?" asked Yamcha. "We can't exactly go in.

"We blow it to Kingdom come, that's what we do." answered Piccolo dryly. "And we end our problems with one shot."

"Sounds good to me." Replied Goku.

"Videl, do you mind going back with Mom and Bulma?" Gohan asked. "If this works, the explosion is gonna be big. And don't forget to cover your eyes. It's gonna get bright too."

"Sure."  
Videl drifted back to the stationary, hovering jet and relayed the request for room to Bulma. The azure haired woman backpedalled the jet several hundred meters before setting it down on the most solid patch of ground she could find.

"Okay guys get ready!" Called Goku, powering up into a Super Sayain. Gohan, Goten and Trunks followed his example as the air began to vibrate from the rising energy of the nine warriors. Picking out a single point in the centre of the building, everyone began to take aim at that point, balls of energy being focused into palms and fingers to deliver the blast that would hit like a nuclear bomb.

"Everybody fire on my mark!" yelled Goku. "3! 2! 1! FIRE!"  
The air exploded in a huge shockwave as all the pent up Ki was released in the huge tidal waves of attacks, the beams of light seeming to carve their way through space itself.

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Goku, Gohan and Goten yelled in unison, their beams colliding and mingling to create and almighty titan blast, far greater than anything they could have made on their own.

"SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!"

"SPIRIT BALL!"

"DESTRUCTO DISC!"

"DODON RAY!"

"TRI-BEAM CANNON!"

"FINISH BUSTER!"

An immediate piercing light flashed from the point of connection, so intense, that to look can it could cost you your eyes. After the flash there was a moment of intense heat, followed by an almost surreal silence. But the silence didn't last as the explosion fired off, toppling trees and stripping top soil off the ground for miles. Even the clouds directly above were blown away to reveal a brief flash of fading evening sunlight before the vacuum began to pull all the wreckage back into the epicentre of the attack, dragging tonnes upon tonnes of debris and waste onto the building.  
The attack had only lasted a few seconds, but its effect would be seen on the land for much time to come. The effort of not only performing the deep, but resisting the fiery forces that had attempted to hurl them around had left them thoroughly exhausted. Panting in mid-air, they waited for the dust cloud to settle so they could inspect the extent of the damage. But to their everlasting horror, the murky clouds settled to reveal that the building was not only standing, but totally unharmed.

"Not even a scratch!" exclaimed Piccolo in disbelief. "What the hell is thing made of?!"

"Look there!" yelled Krillin, pointing at the far side of the building.  
The Z fighters could see where Krillin had pointed, there appeared to be one of his destrco discs hovering in mid-air, but its progress was being impeded by a small patch of green glass that seemed to be floating with it. Testing to see if this wasn't just coincidence, Goku fired off a single Ki blast at the building. Just before the golden orb could strike the structure, it suddenly smashed into a section of green glass that appeared from nowhere an exploded on impact.

"Damn, it must have some kind of energy shield." Said Goku. "We wasted all that energy for nothing."  
But almost as if triggered by his words, a section of the front of the building suddenly retracted and slid to the side, creating an entrance.

"Um, guys? Did, we win?" asked Krillin, somewhat perplexed and not sure if he really wanted a contradiction.

"No, it's obviously a trap." Said Piccolo. "If we go inside, we're essentially hanging a dinner bell around our necks."

"But we have no other choice Piccolo." Retorted Goku. "We can't destroy this thing from the outside, so we'll just have to go inside to destroy the transmitter and take whatever risks come with it."

The gang of fighters touched down and prepared to enter the almost cavernous entrance to the buildings, but stopped when they heard the thudding of feet coming their way. Looking back, they could see the women racing over to them as fast as their legs would carry them.

"Where… do you think… you're going?" panted Videl, the first one to reach the Z fighters.

"We're going inside." Replied Gohan. "We think it would be safer for you and our moms to stay outside."

"What?!" yelled Videl outraged. "Gohan, I'm a grown woman! I can take care of myself and I don't need you to be making decisions for me concerning my health!"

"Videl…" began Gohan, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't you 'Videl' me!" she snapped, batting his hand off. "I'm not sure if you've realized, but I have as much of a right to get this bastard as you do. Those… things are inside me too and if they can kill me at any given moment, then I want to look their creator in the eye and let him know he can't break me!"  
After a moment of tense silence, Gohan reached out and pulled her into a tight hug, holding her still.

"That attitude." He sighed, whispering into her ear. "That's the reason I love you." Releasing the hug, he gave her an assuring smile that she gladly returned. "That and those eyes."

"Gohan…" she blushed. "Not here. Your parents are over there."

"Well, that should give us about ten foot head start when mom notices."

"Stop." She giggled, pushing him away playfully.

"Okay you two, enough. We need to go in now." But despite the situation, everyone could see Goku was trying to keep the smile off his face and stop Chi-Chi from going ballistic. Truthfully, the couples' simple, honest and playful relationship was certainly a good morale boost. Suddenly, the task ahead didn't seem quite so insurmountable. The group filed through the huge open doorway, not even feeling the energy shield that only a few minutes ago had easily repelled their most powerful attacks. The second the last of them set foot inside the threshold of the behemoth structure, the door slid closed instantly with a damning _BOOM_. Nobody even attempted to try and open it. They all knew that they were now in the Vipers nest and pretty soon, they'd be facing the fangs. Silence and darkness pervaded them in all directions. Goku powered up into Super Sayain as quietly as he possible could to provide some light for them to see by. His golden light seemed to grow cold as it reflected dimly off the dead greyish black of the walls. Without a word, they began to walk. Like a single candlelight in a huge abyss, they wandered the almost never ending parade of hallways, the only sound to hear the clacking of their feet as they rebounded hollowly off the stone floor. The atmosphere of the building was suffocating, each person feeling like they'd been smothered in an extra layer of skin. Goku even had to stop himself a few times when he found he was unconsciously reaching up and rubbing his chest, trying to ease the feeling of paranoia and breathlessness brought on by the darkness. Despite the fact that there was only one path, it somehow felt like they were lost, in some way having been swallowed by a gigantic beast without ever realizing. But as they continued, Goten spotted something. At first it looked like just another dull reflection of his dads light, but the shape seemed too definite, not blurred at the edges. And as Goku kept walking, the reflection didn't move or waver; it remained fixed.

"There's an exit!" yelled Goten, scaring the living daylights out of the group from his sudden outburst of noise. Backpedalling to the turn they'd missed, everyone saw exactly what he was on about.

"Good work Goten!" said Goku, giving him an affectionate pat on the head. "Alright, let's go."  
But as they began to walk, it seemed that the door was not close as they had first anticipated. The small rectangle of light soon revealed itself to be a gargantuan gateway that opened up into a square room which was easily big enough to hold an entire house, maybe even a small apartment building, still made out of the same dead, dull stone. But as Goku set foot over the threshold, a huge gate came hurtling out of the roof as break neck speed. Piccolo, the fastest to react, immediately grabbed as many people as he could and yanked them back out of the crushing reach of the door as Goten pulled Trunks into the large room as Gohan did likewise with Videl. The heavy seal slammed shut but Goku still scrambled at its base, trying to get some leverage to prise the thing open, but there was none. The floor met the wall perfectly and was as smooth as glass.

"Chi-Chi!" Goku yelled, pounding the side of his fist on the door. "Guys, are you okay in there?! C'mon answer me!"

"I'd stop that pounding if were you. If you thought that door fell fast, then you'll be surprised how quickly the rest of the ceiling can come down."  
Heads turned collectively to see Vegeta standing there, smug as ever.

"You!" snarled Goku.

"Me." Smirked Vegeta.

"Vegeta, just let us past." Gohan tried to reason with the elder Sayain. "Or better yet, take us to whatever is doing this to us. If we work together, we can all get out of here alive."

_Do not listen to them Vegeta. Make any attempt to help them and they will suffer._

"I'm not here to be your tour guide runt." Spat Vegeta. "I'm here to keep you back. Now, either fight and amuse me as long as you can or play dead and don't waste my time."

"Dad…" Trunks began.

"Shut up boy!" yelled Vegeta. "Look at you, turned into a snivelling coward, hiding behind the backs of those who are not of your kin! At your age, I would have taken any opportunity to kill my father!"

_Good Vegeta, continue. Make him hurt._

"You're a disgrace to your race, your heritage and most of all, me."

"Enough!" yelled Goku, stepping in the way of the proceedings. "You've had your time to reconcile Vegeta, but now we're going to end this!"

The temperature in the room suddenly spiked as Goku's hair stood straighter, completely clearing his face save for a solitary strand of hair. Arcs of lightning began to crackle and rage around his body, melting the stone they struck while Goku stared Vegeta down with murder in his eyes.

"Not a bad parlour trick Kakrot. But…" Vegeta's body was suddenly swallowed in light as his hair turned a blinding gold, his forks of lightning firing off his own body, countering Goku's in mid-flight, like deadly premonition of the battle to come. "…but far from unique."

"**EAT THIS!"  
**Goku shot forward, Ki balled in his fist, striking Vegeta as his punches exploded on impact. Goku got in two lucky shots before Vegeta threw up his defence, deflecting the punches away to avoid the explosions. Suddenly countering, Vegeta threw a volley of backhand strikes; all of them were deflected, but were followed off by a powerful right hook that Goku scarcely dodged before Vegeta tore a huge block out of the wall. As Vegeta pulled back his fists, he saw two large shards of stone buried in his knuckles. Tensing his fist, the stone slid out without his even touching it. Without hesitation, he barrelled back into his assault, throwing a left hook that turned into a grab before pulling Goku in close and hammering hard with his right elbow. Goku just managed to hold up against the elbow strikes, but a sly knee to the stomach made his drop his hands and open up to the last elbow strike that sent him slamming into the wall. Vegeta went for a forward kick, but Goku countered with his own foot, throwing Vegeta off balance as Goku landed a donkey punch on the side of Vegeta's throat. Goku went in for another blow but Vegeta batted his attack away, countering with a stream of punches coming from the sides at the rate of machine gun fire. Goku was holding his defence solid until Vegeta slipped inside the guard he'd been drawing wider and wider until his shoulder slammed into Goku's stomach, rocketing up and burying him in the ceiling. Goku hadn't so much as hit the ceiling though before a two footed kick struck Vegeta in the face, send him hurtling back to the ground. When Vegeta looked back up, he was caught by a blinding light that stunned him for a moment. When his vision finally returned, Goku's hair was cascading down his back in hue golden spikes, his eyebrows were gone and his expression was as hard as granite.

"I'm done playing Vegeta." He growled. "I intend to end this, this minute. You can give up or I'll destroy you. Your choice."

_You're not fighting seriously Vegeta. Use all your power; it's the only way to save them. You know what will happen if you don't._

There was dead silence save for the constant rushing of air caused by Goku's aura until Vegeta began to cackle. He laughed smugly and sadistically as he pulled himself back onto his feet, never breaking eye contact.

"It never ceases to amuse me how you always expect me to submit Kakrot. And most times, I admit, I'd be better off if I had."  
A sudden roar shout ripped from Vegeta's throat as wave after wave of pressure pushed out from his body. The air rippled and vibrated, suddenly gaining the taste of static and metal. The light around Vegeta's body intensified, forcing Goku and the other to shield their eyes. The thus far sturdy rock began to crack and break under the strain of Vegeta's power output, but the moment his yells reached a shrieking, deafening climax did chunks explode out alongside an impossible strong flash of light. When the light finally subsided, Vegeta's hair had reached his ankles in spiked, blonde bangs. His eyebrows were gone, his muscles were pumped and his face was set in an expression of utmost confidence.

"But this time, I won't be."  
Closing the distance between them instantaneously, Vegeta began pounding away at Goku with everything he had. It was obvious whatever training Vegeta had undergone during his disappearance had finally given him an edge over Goku, and now that they were both Super Sayain 3, the transformation seemed to have only widened that gap.

"Guys, dad's getting creamed out there! We gotta help him!" yelled Goten before powering up and heedlessly rushing into the unfolding battle.

"Goten, wait!" Trunks barrelled straight after his friend.

"Trunks, Goten stop!" Gohan bellowed, trying to get them to come back, but afraid to leave Videl vulnerable during such an intense battle in such close quarters.

"Gohan I'll be okay!" Videl shouted over the incredible cacophony of noise. "Go help your family!"  
Still reluctant, but determined none the less, Gohan shot into the fray to try and find the boys before dealing with Vegeta. He found them hammering away uselessly at Vegeta's exposed back, their blows not enough to even draw his annoyance.

"You two, use the Fusion Technique!" Gohan shouted. "I'll keep Vegeta busy and take the heat off dad! And hurry!" The two boys nodded their affirmation before backing up to get the space they needed. Gohan transformed to Super Sayain 2 and hammered Vegeta as hard in the stomach as his legs would allow him. The reaction the elder Sayain gave was not as satisfactory as Gohan would have liked, but it was taking the heat off his father.  
"C'mon Vegeta! If you're as tough as you say you are prove it! Try and beat the kid that stopped Freiza when you couldn't!"

That one hit home. Vegeta immediately dropped Goku and rushed Gohan like a wild animal. No fighting logic or tactics. Just raw strength and brutal force that was almost impossible to match. The two boys had set up their space and were exactly five steps from the centre in both directions.

"Ready?"

"Ready!"

"Fuuuu…" they called, moving in perfect sync. "…sion. HAH!"  
Their finger touched and a brilliant flashed swallowed their beings. Just a second later, an older boy of larger stature was standing where they had been and he was a Super Sayain 3.

"The Hero of Justice is back! Super Gotenks!" he cheered throwing up a peace sign. "Now let's get down to business."  
He immediately flew straight at Vegeta at breakneck speed, head-butting him straight from the offset; leaving an exhausted and beaten Gohan to collapse on the ground. The young, fused Sayains put up a good match, but with his greater size and strength, Vegeta was slowly winning through.

"Galactic Donuts!" yelled Gotenks, throwing his signature energy ring. But the pose and presentation of the attack had given Vegeta more than enough time to dodge and swoop back in to smash Gotenks head first into the wall. Now unconscious, the fusion failed and Gotenks separated back into Goten and Trunks.

_Good, now finish the job Vegeta._

Panting heavily, Vegeta stalked his way back towards Goku's prone form, ready to end the long running rivalry.

"Oh no you don't!" The call came out of nowhere, much like the kick to the head that accompanied it. If he had not been so preoccupied, Vegeta would have easily just stood against such an attack without feeling it. But being so tired and focused, Videl's kick caught him at just the right angle to make him stumble. But the second punch he braced against as she hit him straight on the cheek. It felt like punching lead to her. The pain in her hand soon became a minor complaint to the pain in her throat and the pressure in her head as Vegeta choked the life out of her.

"No… more… DISTRACTIONS!" he yelled, slapping her backhanded across the room. Gohan woke in immediate response to the loud WHACK, opening his eyes just long enough to see Videl finish her flight across the room before sliding to a stop. Panic gripped his chest as he staggered up, heedless of wounds or fatigue and ran the few dozen meters to her.

"Videl, can you hear me?" he asked, lifting her head gently. "C'mon it's me, Gohan. You have to wake up now." But the small streams of blood dribbling from both her mouth and ears only escalated his panic along with her refusal to respond. "Please wake up. Come on Videl, you can't do this. Remember what I told you earlier? About me loving you? I meant it…"  
Her eyes were open now, but they were dark, not responding to the faint light he was giving off.

_Oh, this is wonderful Vegeta! I couldn't have asked for a better show._

"Don't go…" he whispered, a single tear sliding down his face and coming to splash down on her cheek. "I… I just want to hear your voice…"

"Done crying runt?" mocked Vegeta. "If you like I can help you join her in the next life."

"You…" Gohan said deadpan, rising slowly to his feet. The air began to rage around him; his soul feeling like it was being swallowed by a raging inferno. His Ki was rising uncontrollable. He could feel it slipping. Soon, it would be gone. "You… **YOU!"**

With an outrageous battle cry, he launched himself bodily at Vegeta, sinking a punch deep into his chest. The sheer ferocity of the punch snatched the breath out of his lungs, but Gohan didn't even give him the time to draw breathe. He fired of a punch to the left catching him in the head and then another from the right. And from the left. And then the right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right.  
A flurry of attacks that increased in intensity and speed every second, striking Vegeta with such speed, he barely had time to flinch from one punch before another bashed him in the opposite direction. Suddenly stopping, Gohan front kicked Vegeta straight into the opposite wall, embedding him in the rock as he rose into the air, a pair of viscous Ki reserves building in the palms of both his hands.

"**HAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"  
**A blindingly fast volley of energy blasts pounded the wall where Vegeta lay stuck, sending tremors rumbling across the floor and walls. The combined motion and noise was enough to rouse Trunks back to consciousness, leaving him awestruck to his still numb brain at the incredible display of power he was witnessing.

"Goten, wake up!" he called, trying to shake his friend awake. "There's something wrong with Gohan!"  
The younger Sayain stirred uneasily, but still woke.

"Ugh Trunks, why'd you wake me so early? It's not even…" but he stopped dead the moment he saw Gohan going berserk in mid-air. "Trunks, what happened?!" He yelled, suddenly wide awake.

"Gohan's lost in rage Goten. And there's no way to stop him until he's had enough." The two younger Sayains looked up to see a bruised and bloodied Goku, back to his normal state, holding himself uncomfortable above them with Videl across his shoulders,

"Dad, you're okay!"

"No time to celebrate Goten. We need to stay out of Gohan's way or he may well attack when he's like this." He ushered the boys on, avoiding the explosive radius of Gohan's attack.

The volley suddenly ceased fire as Gohan pooled all his remaining energy into his palms before crushing the two Ki reserves together, forcing them to grow and combine into one concentrate ball of energy. Raising his arms to his forehead, preparing an attack he hadn't performed in years, but now filled with anger and malice beyond imagination.

"**MASENKO…HAAAAAAAAH!"**  
Gohan fired his beam straight into the heart of the erupting sphere of light he'd trapped Vegeta inside. The ball of light hungrily swallowed up his attack, growing larger and brighter before sinking to a surging blood red and erupting outwards with such heat and pressure, the oxygen in the room immediate burnt up, and the walls collapsed in from the force of the ensuing vacuum. As the rubble came in and struck him from all directions, dust filling the air, Gohan finally snapped back to reality. Where was his dad? Where was Goten? And Videl… Oh god…

"Videl! Dad! Goten!" he yelled, flying down and furiously scraping at the rubble. "Can you hear me?! I'm coming for you!"  
But a few feet away, an especially large slab of rock slowly turned over to reveal Goten and Trunks pushing holding it up with Goku keeping Videl's body shielded with his own.

"Dad!" Gohan yelled, rushing over to the ragtag group. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. And Videl's fine too."

"But I saw Vegeta-" began Gohan.

"It didn't kill her. Just unconscious and a heavy concussion. Goten still had the Senzu beans with him so he was able to take care of our injuries. She'll be out for a while, but she's not in danger."

"Goku! Oh thank goodness you're okay!"  
Goku barely had time to glance sideways before a flying Chi-Chi came sailing through the air and flying tackled him with a hug so hard, he hit the floor. After about three seconds of hugging him tightly though, she noticed all the blood on his body and recoiled in shock.

"What happened to you?!" she gasped, before her attention flitted to her two sons, both equally caked in dirt and gore as their father. "What did you let happen to _them_?!" She shrieked, immediately fussing over her boys.

"Mom, we're fine." Said Goten. "I dad and me had a Senzu bean so we aren't hurt at all." He held up the brown cloth sack filled with the hard green pellets. "Once Gohan has one, he'll be all better too."  
Chi-Chi was at least contented that they weren't hurt, but equally she couldn't be entirely sure considering the amount of fresh blood was still covering them. But they weren't the only ones receiving a motherly smothering as the rest of the Z fighter made their way into the rooms through the shattered walls.

"Trunks, look at you! Are you sure you're okay?" Bulma cooed, holding Bra with one arm and Trunks with the other.

"I'm fine mom." He assured. "Goten gave me a Senzu bean, so I'm good as ever. See?"  
He went to push away and do a flurry of punches, but halfway through his arms failed him. Senzu beans may heal near death injuries, but there had yet a bean to be created to cure tiredness. Trying to cover up his failed attempt to show he was okay, Trunks gave his mother the biggest grin he could manage, hoping she would forget where he'd brought the conversation.

But good times didn't last though, as another pile of rubble split apart to show Vegeta rising from the ground, like a zombie rising from the dead; in more ways than one. There was barely a patch of his skin left that wasn't bloodied or burnt from Gohan's attack. His gait was unstable and slumped and it looked like he'd lost the use of one of his arms. But he was still standing; and he was not giving up. But he wasn't the main sight the Z fighters were interested in. Behind Vegeta stood a towering contraption of steel and glass, like an hourglass that crackled with lightning within a short range. The machine seemed to be awash with sand that glowed with green light and shifted of its own accord, but flowed upwards instead of down.

"That thing is full of Nanites!" Bulma yelled, pointing at the shifting sand material.

"Destroy it now!" Yelled Goku, winding back to fire the Kamehameha, but he and every other immediately dropped to the floor the moment the words left his mouth. The horrible red lightning enveloped their bodies as the seizures took hold of their bodies, their eyes rolling back in their heads as inhuman cries tore from their throats.

_I warned you Vegeta. If you had only done as I asked. Now, you have doomed them all._  
A soft sizzle was heard in the air as the cloaking layer dissolved off the protective bubble, revealing the man, if that's what you could call him, inside. Doctor Raichi, brilliant Tuffle scientist and sworn enemy of the Sayains, floated gently a few feet above the ground, his feet tightly wound together. The man's blue pallor and single glowing red eye were made look ever more monstrous as he stared coldly at the Z fighters writhing in agony among the rubble.

"_Worthless monkeys." _His voice spat, without his lips ever moving. _"Squirming in the dirt as you should be."_  
The doctor turned to leave, but halted when he saw Vegeta blocking his path.

"_Move."_

"No."

"_What was that, impudent cockroach?" _he asked cruelly, lifting up a small silver cylinder, giving it a slight squeeze that made the already tortured humans and Sayains give another involuntary shriek of pain.

"Let. Them. Go." he said through gritted teeth.

"_And if I do not? You hardly pose a threat to me, especially in your current state."_

"REALSE THEM IMMEDIATELY!" Bellowed Vegeta, Ki exploding out, but Raichi did not flinch. "I have done everything you demanded of me! I have slain innocents, killed my kin and sacrificed my body to protect your infernal contraption!** WHAT IS IT YOU WANT FROM ME?!"**

"_What I want?" asked Raichi, sound almost on the verge of laughter, but quickly switched to dark and serious. "What I want is to have you experience the pain and fear my race felt every moment as you hunted us down and exterminated us like vermin. What I want is to see you have everything stripped away from you as you did to us! I want to see your dreams of ultimate power and nature of a lonesome warrior come back to haunt you, to destroy that foolish Sayain pride that cost us Tuffles our lives! I want Justice! I want __**Revenge! **__And I will have mine…"_  
Raichi paused for a moment, Vegeta seeing he was making an effort to move. Slowly, agonisingly, Raichi's face muscles pulled back his lips into a snarl before them drew back into a twisted mockery of a grin, exposing dead, rotten gums and black stubs of teeth.

"_And last of all I want you see the horrible deaths of all those your care about in agonising detail. By your hand or mine! You can end their suffering now or let their pain drag on for days until their brains finally melt inside their skulls! With every cry and plead for mercy, you will know it was you who cursed them to this fate and when your mind is broken and you long for death, I will keep you alive long enough to realize that had you not been a coward and killed yourself to prevent my plan being set in motion; you could have prevented their suffering! And then and only then… will I grant your wish."_

The words seemed have shamed Vegeta. Hollowed him. He stared numbly at the ground, refusing to look up, but still speaking up.

"You're right Raichi, at heart, I am a coward. But…" he suddenly ran straight for the nanites machine and leapt at it. He immediately collided with an energy shield, but he didn't get pushed back. Letting his anger fuel him, he exploded into Super Sayain form and pushed harder than he'd pushed in his life. Inch by agonising inch, he drew closer to touching the machine; the pained cries of his comrades spurring him on. His finger made contact and suddenly his whole world was swallowed in fire. Nanites rushed through his veins, flooding his system, heading straight for his brain. The energy shield finally pushed him back, but the electricity stayed with him. It was inside his body now, slowly crippling his muscles and deadening his senses. But he had one final job to do. Fighting his way to his feet, he tottered his way over to Raichi, never breaking his line of sight.

"…I will not be beaten." He gritted out. "You may have sought to…ugh….destroy my race and end the life of all Sayains once, but eventually, it wasn't enough? I've known such hate…. I had owned it. Lived by it."  
Vegeta forced himself to take another step, weakening rapidly, but refusing to fall to his knees.

"You needed our physical suffering as well, but that wouldn't do. Every drop of Tuffle blood we had spilled… we would pay tent times for; not just with our bodies… but our hearts." He panted heavily, exhaustion snatching the words from his mouth and his head, but he wasn't stopping.

"That's why you needed me. Someone who was weak willed and… p-prone to persuasion. Someone like Kakrot would die sooner than cause any harm. But not me… the ex-killer of worlds. Someone who could make his victims suffer… without moving a finger. A brilliant plan."  
He was no more than an arm's length from Raichi, standing just outside his protective bubble.

"But you relied on my pride and cowardice too heavily. I am no longer afraid, now that my death may… accomplish something. It is my pride that tells me to die like my forefathers; on my feet. You wanted us to die screaming Raichi… but I'll die smiling. You've lost!" Vegeta dropped to one knee, still grinning up at Raichi as he could feel the last of his energy leaving him. "What will you do now?"

Enraged beyond control Doctor Raichi brought back his hand to deliver a blow to finally kill the vermin of the Sayain race. And that second was all Vegeta needed. With his shield down, Vegeta leapt up and clamped his arms on to Raichi's frail body, the Nanite electricity surging into his body. The man began to scream and convulse, but Vegeta would not let go.

"You have a choice Raichi!" Vegeta yelled. "Kill me, my race and die with us or save yourself or become the coward and destroy the machine! Choose Tuffle!"  
Vegeta's grip wound tighter, crushing the life out of Raichi as he was continuously electrocuted. His flesh was burning, his muscles disintegrating, but Vegeta would not let him go.

"CHOOSE NOW TUFFLE! LIVE OR DIE!"  
Raichi was almost nothing but dust, but Vegeta wasn't far off that himself. He just had to hold on a little longer.

"**CHOOOOOOSE!"**

And like that, the pain stopped. Vegeta and Raichi crashed to the ground, gasping and trying to gulp down air. Raichi's old, mangles frame was near unrecognisable as humanoid, but his head was still spewing curses.

"_Filthy monkeys! I will have you one day and I will split your skull and watch as your children dance upon your remains, you hear me you worthless slave!"_

"Actually…" said Vegeta, his one good hand stopping in front of Raichi's face before a final burst of Ki disintegrated his head. "…it's Prince to you."

Slowly, very slowly the Z fighters began to regain consciousness. They didn't remember what had happened to them. They had tried to destroy the Nanites reserve and then nothing. Until now, that is. Trunks heaved himself unsteadily to his feet, hoping his mom and sister were okay. But instead he saw a sight that caught his attention much faster. Sprinting over to him, Trunks stopped just before the burnt husk that was left of Vegeta, pulling itself along by its one functioning arm. Raising his head, he was bloodied and scarred beyond measure, but still his father.

"Trunks…" Vegeta stretched out his arm to reach Trunks.

"Dad?" he said, taking a tentative step closer so Vegeta's fingers just brushed his face.

"Take care…" And with that Vegeta finally collapsed.

"Dad! "Trunks yelled, scooping his father up and trying to turn him over "SOMEBODY HELP ME!"  
Without warning, Goku came bounding over, seeing Trunks cradling the burnt body of his father.

"Trunks, are you alright?" he asked.  
The half Sayain couldn't speak a word. He managed a few sobs before he even tried to force himself to talk.

"I-I think he's gone… Like, really gone this time!" Trunks broke into a fresh batch of tears, letting them flow free and strong as Goku looked down at Vegeta. But the elder Sayain didn't weep. He laughed. He laughed a lot actually.

"Silly Trunks, he's just sleeping! Look, you can see him breathing." Goku pointed to the steady rise and fall of Vegeta's chest, still chuckling slightly at Trunks overreaction.

"Trunks, what's wrong?!" Bulma came running as fast as she could manage while holding baby Bra. "I heard screaming."

"We're okay Bulma." Smirked Goku. "Vegeta passed out and Trunks got a little shock is all."

"Well I'm not surprised, he looks exhausted." Commented Bulma before leaning down and placing a kiss as gentle as a butterfly on Vegeta's cheek. "Goodnight sweet prince. You've earned the rest."

"C'mon, let's get out of here."

Getting out was much simpler without an energy shield. It was a simple matter of blasting through the closest wall and simply flying home, the non-flyers and injured being carried.

"Hey dad?" Said Gohan, flying alongside his father, both of the carrying their female other half.

"Yeah?"

"With that Nanite attack, do you think we'll ever remember what happened in there?"

"I don't think so." Goku pondered. "But something tells me Vegeta did something when we needed it most and it saved us all."

"Do you think he'll remember?"

"He might. But he might not. I guess we may never know."

"Hmmm. Makes you think."

"Not when you're as hungry as me!" announced Goku cheerily. "C'mon, I wanna go home and get some Shu Pork!"

And they were right. When Vegeta awoke a number of days later he didn't remember what he'd done or said, but a strange feeling stayed with him. A feeling of new freedom. A feeling of calm and freshness. And a strange sense of… rebirth. He felt like a new person, his sleep no longer filled with the faces of the races he'd destroyed, now it was only of the new faces he'd come to hold as his own and be part of his life. For little did he know, in that selfless act, his pride of a murderer, turned to the pride of a protector; it had released him. That small speck of darkness that lay deep with his heart has shrunk to naught and he finally had what almost no other Sayain had ever experienced.

True Peace.


End file.
